Ladders are conventionally employed to provide a user thereof with improved access to locations that might otherwise be inaccessible. Ladders come in many shapes and sizes, such as straight ladders, straight extension ladders, stepladders, and combination step and extension ladders.
So-called combination ladders are particularly useful because they incorporate, in a single ladder, many of the benefits of other ladder designs. However, the increased number of features provided by a combination ladder also brings added complexity to the operation of the ladder, the manufacture of the ladder, or both.
In one example, the height of the a combination ladder may be adjusted by actuating locking members (sometimes referred to as “lock tabs”) on the sides of the ladder. The action of actuating such locking members usually requires a lateral displacement of the locking members outward, or away from, the side rails of the ladders. Such an action can be awkward and difficult for some people to perform. In many cases, such as when smaller users are trying to adjust the height of the ladder, significant effort may be required.
In an effort to address such a concern, various approaches have been taken including those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,186,481, entitled LADDERS, LADDER COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS, issued on May 29, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The locking mechanism described therein provides improved ergonomics and functionality of the ladder.
Sometimes, added features, such as the locking mechanism described in the above-references U.S. Patent, introduces complexity into a design that may increase the cost and time to manufacture and, thus, the driving up the ultimate cost to consumers. Further, added complexity may introduce additional potential failure points where an increased number of components may be subject wear or fail due to repeated use.
Considering the desire within the industry to continually improve the safety, functionality and efficiency of ladders, the present disclosure provides embodiments related to enhanced ease of use, ease of manufacturability, stability and safety in the use of ladders, among other things.